Chapter 155: The In-House Scrimmage
The Ubers training ground was a hive of activity. The adrenaline from the last match had barely faded, but a new challenge loomed just days away: the clash with Barcha. Under the cold, calculating eye of Marc Snuffy, the squad was drilling into the high-precision tactics designed to dismantle their next opponent.
"I have finished reviewing the footage from their game against Bastard Munchen," Snuffy began. As a world-class strategist, it took him only one match to fully dissect Barcha's DNA. "Their striker, Meguru Bachira, is the engine of their team. His dribbling is elite. He forms an offensive triangle with Eita Otoya and Ignacio. If we shatter that triangle, the victory will be effortless."
Oliver Aiku, Ikki Niko, and Jyubei Aryu listened with intense focus. As the defensive core, the responsibility of suffocating that triple threat rested squarely on their shoulders.
Don Lorenzo, however, looked as relaxed as ever. He had the ego to back up his posture; it did not matter who was attacking him, he believed he was a wall that could not be breached. Not even Michael Kaiser, the most expensive player in the league right now, was a guarantee to get past him.
Still, there was one person Lorenzo was genuinely curious to test himself against. His eyes drifted toward the calm figure of Ryosuke Kira. Lorenzo had always known Kira was dangerous, but seeing him in person was a different story. He was playing far beyond the level of a typical academy prospect.
Yesterday's performance was the proof. To Lorenzo, Kira already felt like he was breathing the same air as someone like Marc Snuffy.
Kira, currently replaying the data from his newly acquired Meta-Vision, noticed Lorenzo's gaze. He tried to stay low-key, but his internal ego was already flaring up.
'I guess when you are this good, people can't help but stare.' He knew he was relying on Trial Cards to bridge the gap between himself and the world's best, but within the walls of Blue Lock, he was undisputed. He wondered how much of a gap truly existed between himself and Kaiser if he did not use any shortcuts.
"Alright, enough talk. We are moving into specialized defensive drills to kill that triangle. Let's get to work, Ubers," Snuffy commanded.
The morning was spent grinding through tactical positioning. By the afternoon, the real intensity began: the in-house scrimmage.
Snuffy randomized the teams for a specific reason. Since the team was now built around the dual-core of Kira and Barou, he needed to find the perfect supporting cast—the right set of tires to make the Ubers machine run at max speed.
In today's scrimmage, Kira was grouped with Niko, Aiku, and Sendo. Their goalkeeper was the former U-20 starter, Fukaku Gen. The rest of the spots were filled by Ubers academy regulars. On the opposing side stood Barou, Lorenzo, and Aryu.
Kira decided not to burn any Attribute Trial Cards for this session. He wanted to push his own limits. It was time to give Meta-Vision its first real test.
The moment the whistle blew, Kira felt the shift. It was a massive upgrade. He could see every player's position, every passing lane, and every potential movement as a clear map in his mind. It was like having eyes in the back of his head. He knew it was not a superpower—it was just his brain processing visual data at an extreme speed and updating the scene in real-time.
'This is incredible.' Kira took control of the pitch immediately, dictating the flow of the game with absolute authority.
From the sidelines, Snuffy watched with a satisfied nod. The more his protege evolved, the more his vision for the team came together. But even with Meta-Vision, Lorenzo was like a jagged, golden shadow that could not be shaken. He lived up to his reputation as the Ace Eater, sticking to Kira with relentless intensity. Kira suspected Lorenzo might be using a high-level vision of his own.
Lorenzo sniped the ball away at the perfect moment, clearing it while flashing his gold teeth. "I see everything, Kira-chan. Your tricks won't work on me, OK?"
'Tch. If I don't get serious, I'm never getting past him.'
"Kira..."
Sendo suddenly appeared at Kira's side, his voice a mix of hesitation and desperation. "Use me. Let's link up."
Kira looked at him, unimpressed. "Use you? For what? What value do you actually bring to my game?"
Sendo flinched. He knew he was the underdog here. He understood that if he wanted to survive in this pro world—and secure his dream of marrying a Hollywood star—he had to prove he was compatible with the team's center of gravity. He had to swallow his pride and beg the man who had crushed his former team for a chance to play.
"Trust me, Kira. I can be the tool you need to break this deadlock," Sendo insisted, his eyes full of determination.
Kira studied him for a second. He had expected Sendo to cave, but the guy's willpower was actually holding up. 'Fine. Let's see what you've got.'
A throw-in put the ball back in play. Kira received it, danced past two academy defenders, and found himself face-to-face with Lorenzo again.
"You aren't reaching the top unless you go through me, Kira-chan," Lorenzo taunted.
Before the sentence was finished, Sendo tore past them toward the goal.
'Is he actually going to pass to that extra?' Lorenzo wondered. 'No way. Sendo is just a decoy.'
It was a logical deduction, but that split-second of internal analysis was the only opening Kira needed. As Lorenzo's focus flickered toward Sendo's run, Kira ignited. He exploded into a high-speed change of direction, catching the Ace Eater off-balance.
Lorenzo was half a step too slow. Kira surged past him, leaving him in the dust.
'Damn... I let the side character distract me,' Lorenzo thought, looking genuinely annoyed.
Kira did not slow down. He blew past Aryu and unleashed a thunderous strike that nearly tore through the netting.
Boom!
Goal!
"YEAH! We did it!" Sendo was practically vibrating with joy, jumping and shouting. The arrogant ace of the U-20 was gone, replaced by a man desperate for a win. He sprinted over to Kira, practically begging for acknowledgment. "How was that, Kira? My run was perfect, right?"
Kira knew he could have beaten Lorenzo on his own, but Sendo's run had undeniably made the job easier. There was no point in being a dick about it. "Yeah. It was a good look. Keep that up."
"Haha! Hollywood, here I come!" Sendo beamed like a kid on Christmas.
On the sidelines, Snuffy watched the exchange. He noted the change in the team's chemistry and tapped his chin. He glanced down at Sendo's name on his clipboard and hesitated. Maybe just maybe the kid was more than just a benchwarmer after all.
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